How to Speak Russian with Confidence: 7 Beginner Tips

I started learning how to speak Russian in January 2016.

And I remember the difficulties I had when I tried to have a conversation in Russian:

• I just didn’t know enough words to express what I wanted to say.
• And if I knew the words, I didn’t understand which cases to apply.
• On top of all, the pronunciation of weird Russian letters, such as the ы and щ was incredibly frustrating.

So it’s not weird I felt overwhelmed.

You might feel the same.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Throughout the years, I managed to become fluent in Russian – and now can have conversations in Russian with confidence about virtually any topic.

And I’ve helped 100s of students do the same in my program the Russian Conversational Blueprint.

The program is not free, but it’s helpful if you want to efficiently learn how to speak Russian.

But in this article I want to show you 7 immensely helpful tips that you can apply right away.

These tips are great if you’re currently struggling to learn Russian.

But before we get to the tips, we need to discuss one important thing, that will change the way you look at learning Russian…

Speaking Russian VS Learning Russian

Speaking Russian and learning Russian might sound the same to you.

After all, when somebody says he’s learning Russian, he usually means he’s learning to speak Russian.

Right?

In general this is true. However, a big problem for many people is that they have trouble speaking:

They might know all the grammar, are able to read Russian books and to watch Russian movies…

… but when it comes to speaking, they struggle tremendously.

But why is that? Allow me to explain:

Most language learners understand a language better than they speak it.

It’s simply easier to understand Russian than to speak it. But many people make the mistake of wanting to understand everything about the language before they actually start speaking.

Read that again. Does it sound familiar?

If yes, you’re not alone. Many people don’t want to make mistakes when speaking and therefore try to learn as much as possible before actually speaking Russian.

I made the same mistake when I was trying to learn Spanish. For example: I could read the biography of Steve Jobs in Spanish… but when it came to speaking Spanish, I failed miserably.

After finding out that I liked the Russian language more, I decided to take another approach to learn Russian.

I started focusing on how to speak Russian – instead of how to learn Russian. And that small nuance has made all the difference.

So if you want to find out what I did differently when I started learning Russian, and how I was able to make rapid progress in speaking Russian – then continue reading for my tips on how to learn Russian.

1. Focus On Vocabulary First

If you want to learn how to speak Russian, you cannot just walk up to a native Russian speaker and start talking.

That wouldn’t work.

So what do you need to do before that?

Well, you need to know at least a hundred words or so before you can have conversations in Russian.

So what are the easiest ways to learn Russian vocabulary?

I recommend you focus on 2 things:

• Focus on cognates
• Download a good Anki flashcard deck (“Anki” is a free app on Android and PC)

Cognates are words such as эффект – effect.

If you can already read cyrillic, you noticed that the word for effect is basically the same.

But there are also other words, that aren’t 100% the same, but still are similiar:

• брат (brat) – brother
• вода (voda) – water
• фейерверки (feyerverki) – fireworks

Now, you probably won’t need to use the Russian word for fireworks often…

But imagine the surprised look on the face of a native Russian speaker, if you point at the fireworks in the sky and say “фейерверки!” on NYE.

2. Make Sure You SPEAK

Many language learners make the mistake when they start to learn Russian diving into the grammar books or language apps.

You may feel you need to learn the Russian alphabet right away. Even though grammar and the Russian alphabet are an important part of Russian language learning, I recommend beginners put away their textbooks and apps.

Why?

Because if you want to learn Russian – you have to speak Russian.

By not emphasizing the speaking part at the start of your Russian career, you risk putting it off.

It’s simple procrastination. You feel you must learn just a couple more Russian words and phrases, or get just a little better before you actually have your first conversations in Russian.

It sounds good in theory, but in reality, the best way to get good fast is to make as many mistakes as possible. 

You can take the ‘Bald and Bankrupt’ approach:

Only by putting yourself out there and speaking Russian will you find out where your weak points are.

Now, you might ask “Is it really necessary to start speaking from the beginning?“.

My answer is yes.

Because you’ll start to get a feeling for the language when you start speaking. You only really experience learning a language after your start speaking it.

And the good thing is that it doesn’t have to be a full-blown conversation either. It’s easiest if you know a native Russian speaker in your circle of friends, family, or colleagues. If you don’t know any, just go to iTalki or any of the other language learning platforms. Point to objects and say the Russian word for them. Try making sentences. At first, it will be difficult, but as with all difficult things in life – it gets easier after a while.

So, now that I’ve made it clear that if you’re learning to speak Russian – you have to speak Russian, let’s move on to what to do after you’ve become comfortable speaking Russian.

3. When You’re Speaking Simple Phrases – Add Grammar and Learn the Russian Alphabet

Only after you’ve gotten comfortable speaking Russian – and making mistakes while speaking, should you start adding grammar to your daily Russian practice. Most people do this the other way around and miss out on a key benefit of speaking first grammar second.

What is that benefit?

Simple, it’s that grammar starts to become fun.

How is that possible? Grammar, fun? It’s a common question, but here’s what you’ll notice when you’re already making conversations and learning how to speak Russian:

If you’re at this point, and you learn the basic grammar rules – you’ll be able to actually incorporate the rules in your daily speech.

And by doing this, you’ll make fewer mistakes and speak more fluently. It doesn’t matter that you’re not fluent yet.

When you’re already comfortable speaking, you can practice your grammar right away after learning it. Which gives you a huge advantage. By using something you just learned, you will be able to remember it better. It will get cemented in your brain and you will get real-life experience using specific grammar rules.

That’s how real language learning is done – not by reading and theorizing. But by actually speaking and applying those grammatical rules.

If you’re learning Russian grammar, I recommend you also check out the following pages:

• Step by Step Plan to Learn the Russian Cases
• Russian Accusative Case Guide
• Russian Genitive Tips
• Russian Days of the Week
• Russian Pronouns

So, get comfortable speaking first, then start learning grammar.

4. Practice ‘Dailyish’

The next tip on how to speak Russian is an easy one. It says that you simply have to practice ‘dailyish’.

What does that mean?

It means that you practice most days. There’s no need to be perfectionistic.

If you practice 4 or 5 days out of the week, that’s enough to build correct habits.

Now the reason why this is important, is because too many people learning a language, only to practice once or twice a week…

At that pace, you’ve already forgotten what you’ve learned the last lesson by the time you start the next lesson.

So, for effective language learning (or any skill, for that matter) – you have to practice dailyish.

Now, of course, you can take the weekend off if you really cannot find the time, but it’s also about something else. If you are serious about learning Russian, you have to create a system that allows you to achieve that.

One component of this is practicing most days. The other is by having effective resources that allow you to practice most days.

What do I mean by this?

Well, for example, by having audio lessons on your mobile phone that only last around 10-20 minutes. Everyone has 10 or 20 minutes every day, right?

Just take a walk and listen to them – or while commuting to work. You’ll be surprised how much you’ll learn in just 10-20 minutes each day. It might look like little progress, but try it for 3 months and see how much better you’ll speak.

Note: I personally use Russianpod 101 for my daily audio lessons. Click here to check out my review of the program.

5. Find Native Speakers

As you might have noticed before… I mentioned native Russian speakers in my first point. The reason for that is obvious. By practicing your speaking skills with native speakers, they will be able to correct you on everything you say wrong.

And like we discovered… making mistakes is the best way to learn Russian. And there are a lot more benefits to practicing with a native speaker:

• You’ll pick up on all the little things they do when they speak: intonation, accent, the right way of pronunciation.
• You’ll also practice conversational Russian, which means that you’ll understand the way most Russians speak.
• Also, you get to practice your listening skills.
• And what’s more – it’s fun! Instead of sitting home and practicing yourself, you’ll have a good time with the other person.

But… where do you find native Russian speakers? Here are some of the places where I’ve met Russian people in my hometown:

• In the Russian supermarket. This one is obvious. Just go to Google maps and search for “Russian supermarket”.
• In the gym or at street workout parks. Russia (and any Russian-speaking country, really) has one of the most developed street workout cultures. What this means is that when you go to one of the playgrounds with pull-up bars, there’s a good chance you’ll meet some Russian speakers.
• Special gatherings or language courses. Many Russians want to improve their English. So why not go for a win-win situation in which you can help them out with their English and they can help you with your Russian?

If the above options don’t work, you can always look for a free language exchange parter – or find an online tutor. Online has the benefits that you don’t need to go to a specific place to practice.

6. Immerse Yourself In Russian Media

And we’ve arrived at the last tip if you to learn how to speak Russian – Immerse yourself in Russian media. What do I mean by this? It means to:

• Listen to Russian radio and songs
• Watch Russian movies and series
• Read Russian books
• Play Russian video games
• You could even set the language on your phone to Russian!

As you can see the possibilities are endless. Now, why does immersing yourself in Russian media work? It’s because by listening to Russian songs or watching Russian movies, you’re subconsciously training your brain.

Your brain will pick up on the right intonation and how to say a specific word for example. And when you get a little better, you will start to recognize Russian words and phrases, just by their context.

Even though focused language learning is more effective (on a per-hour basis), passive learning like this still has a place in your learning regime. The reason for this is because it is more fun.

Watching a series of 10 episodes is a great way to learn Russian for almost 10 hours – and it won’t even feel like ‘practice’.

7. Consider investing in your learning

When I was a student, I didn’t really have much money. So I was opposed to spending money to learn things (except for my university).

However, if I look back on how I struggled with Russian in the first couple of months to a year, I realize I could’ve made so much faster and efficient progress, if I would’ve just invested some money into learning Russian.

The older I get, the less time I have to figure everything out myself.

So it becomes much more attractive to get the help of a good teacher or program.

Let me ask you a question:

If you want to learn how to speak Russian, and you had the following 2 options, which one would you pick?

• Spend 200 hours and $30
• Spend 80 hours and $500

The first option has you figuring everything out yourself and paying for one app, textbook or lesson subscription. The second option, you will follow a program that allows you to learn Russian much more efficiently per hour invested. And you can invest in plenty of quality learning materials.

There’s no right or wrong answer here. It just depends on your stage in life, and the resources you have available.

If you are busy and have little time, you can sign up for my Russian Conversational Blueprint program. It’s not free, but it allows you to avoid all the mistakes beginner Russian learners usually make, and quickly improve your Russian skills.

Conclusion – How To speak Russian Fast

So, now that you’ve read the guide on how to learn Russian, let’s do a quick recap of the 7 tips that I gave you:

1. Focus on vocabulary first. Without words, you cannot say anything. Focus on learning at least a 100 words, before you start practicing speaking. Good methods are cognates and spaced repetition apps.
2. Make sure you speak. Many people make the mistake of diving into the learning books first thing when they start language learning I suggest you do the opposite: Learn a couple of Russian words and phrases and put them into practice right away. You’ll get a feeling for the Russian language and become comfortable speaking it. Both are priceless on your journey to Russian fluency.
3. When you’re speaking simple phrases – add grammar. This one builds on the first rule. After you’ve gotten comfortable speaking Russian, you can now add some grammar. The benefit here is that you’ll be able to use the grammar right away in your conversations. this makes it easier to remember the grammar rule and it will also make grammar more fun since you can immediately use it to speak better.
4. Practice every day. Instead of practicing an entire afternoon once every two weeks, it’s better to practice for at least 10 minutes every day. This will help you remember everything you’ve learned and you will get a little better each day. This approach might sound simple, but you’ll be astonished at the results after doing this for a couple of months.
5. Find native speakers. The ‘holy grail’ of language learning. You’ll pick up on so many little and big things about the language by just practicing with native Russians. Make this a staple in your Russian learning routine and try having a little chat at least every week with a native Russian speaker. It’s best to do this in person, but through webcam or phone also works.
6. Immerse yourself in Russian media. The last thing is to use all the Russian media you can find. This works because it’s fun. Russian movies, series, and music can be a great asset in learning how to speak Russian like a native speaker since you can spend hours and hours learning the language without being aware of the time.
7. Consider investing in your learning. If you feel you’re currently not getting the results you want from your Russian learning, it can be a good idea to consider investing in a quality program. Expert guidance can help you get the most out of every hour spent learning Russian, and will have you speaking faster than trying to figure everything out on your own.